The death toll from a suicide bombing targeting a peace rally in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has risen to 14, including five police officers and nine civilians, while at least 20 people were injured, authorities said.
The attack took place on Sunday in Swat district as participants were leaving a public gathering held in support of peace and against rising militant violence in the region.
Swat Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Fida Hussain said the attacker attempted to enter a police compound but was stopped at a checkpoint by security personnel. The bomber then detonated an explosive vest near the entrance, killing police officers and civilians gathered nearby.
Authorities initially reported five fatalities, but the toll later increased after several wounded victims died in hospital.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the bombing, underscoring the group’s continued attacks on Pakistani security forces despite intensified military and counterterrorism operations.
Pakistani media, citing security officials, reported that preliminary investigations suggest the suspected suicide bomber may have been an Afghan national. Authorities have not released evidence supporting the claim, and the attacker’s identity has not been officially confirmed.
The bombing is the latest in a series of militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where Pakistan has experienced a sharp rise in violence over the past year. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led authorities of allowing TTP militants to operate from Afghanistan territory, an allegation Kabul has denied.
The attack highlights the continuing security challenges facing Pakistan’s northwest, where militant violence remains a persistent threat despite ongoing security operations.
